As space programs turn their attention toward long-term human spaceflight, it's more important than ever to address the physical toll of life in space. These suits could help astronauts retain bone density and look snazzy at the same time.

Astronauts lose one to two percent of their bone density for every month they spend in space, and even with conditioning regimens, crew members aboard the International Space Station have experienced significant bone loss. To keep humans healthy on a mission to Mars, we will need to protect their bones.

The Gravity Loading Countermeasure Skinsuit, currently in development at MIT's Man-Vehicle Laboratory, may do just that. The suit has stirrups at the feet and is cut deliberately short so that when an astronaut wears it, pulling their shoulder toward their feet. This compression mimics Earth's gravity and may help prevent bone loss.